When we started to explore potential business models (should we offer FREE SMS? Who needs the service? What is important to them? How can we do things differently?), we quickly had things fall into place.

We surveyed the many people who direct navigated to the domain and asked them what they thought and what they were expecting when the came to the website. For many, they were looking for a text messaging solution. And while some were wanting a free solution supported by advertisements, others wanted a simple service that was cheaper than sending texts through the major carriers. And people told us, if you build a reliable service, they will pay for it.

Other visitors to the site were more what you would call the enterprise visitors. These were business owners who were seeking out the latest in texting and how it pertains to their business. It seems that business owners started to see the conversion rates, brand recall, and marketing effectiveness that was possible with mobile marketing. Did you know, that in a July ‘08 survey by the Direct Marketing Association (DMA), SMS
Marketing campaigns were found to be the most successful mobile ad
medium. And of those who responded to the DMA survey, 70% had already responded to a marketing text message?

So for us, the path was clear. We needed two services:

1. The first was enabling international text messaging by using a PC to send an SMS, namely a service for those who are separated from overseas family and friends who have that intense human desire to communicate. Be the user a nanny from the Philippines working in the US, or an international student in Toronto who needs to tell their mom and dad in Korea that things are going well, but they could use some more spending money. The simple fact is that mobile devices are outnumbering PCs by a 3 to 1 ratio. And for those who cannot email a 'hello', text messaging works... and it is essential. And with the larger carriers charging an arm and a leg for international text messaging, a more affordable text messaging option must be available (There is, and you can get it here).
2. The second was an SMS Marketing service that enabled small businesses to join the SMS marketing and mobile advertising revolution. Procuring a short code for companies was a long and expensive proposition, and far out of the reach of a small company. We figured that there had to be a simple way for all companies -- regardless as to their size or budget -- to launch their own SMS marketing campaign (There is, and you can get it here).

We have other services coming soon as well. Some of them are already in beta like our unique Call-to-Subscribe service that we are introducing to the North American market. The service will allow an alternate method to opting in to mobile marketing, one that is much simpler to the mass majority. Simply put, if you want to subscribe to a mobile marketing campaign, you just call in to a phone number that is assigned to you. To unsubscribe, you simply call the number again.

Anyhow, work beckons. But for a moment, let us celebrate.

John (on behalf of the Texts.com team)